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Original poster

Music grades as an adult after a long long break

53 replies

colleysmill · 24/01/2016 07:44

In my younger days I used to play my violin to a reasonable standard but it all fell by the wayside when I went to uni and I never played much again.

After a long hiatus (17 years Shock ) I'm back playing regularly, mainly in orchestras and small groups and gradually I've dragged myself back up to a similar standard I was as a teenager.

All good so far and I'm really enjoying playing again. But the bit that's bugging me is that as a teenager (whilst I was playing at around the standard) I never actually did my grade 8 exam. And part of me has always regretted this and now it's like an itch that won't go away.

Part of me thinks I am crazy to even consider it - I've a family, full on job and playing for a number of groups on an ad hoc basis (who knew violinists would be so in demand as an adult!) as well as an orchestra(s) but I've looked at the 2016-19 syabullus and found a local teacher.

Has anyone taken high level grades as an adult? And does it differ in terms of confidence than when you are younger? I'd love to hear about anyone's experiences

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Original poster
colleysmill · 28/01/2016 19:16

Sticking with associated board. Most of my previous exams have been with them (except my grade 5 for some reason!)

Violin is going in on Saturday for its tweaks - I've been warned that it will make my tuning worse initially but it'll be worth it in the long run.

No procrastinating allowed otherwise I may chicken out :)

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CrotchetQuaverMinim · 29/01/2016 09:02

I'm trying to learn a new instrument and want to do exams at some point too. My hands aren't very strong and won't learn the fast stuff like they did when I was a child, though - full of tension now. And the aural tests, even for the lower grades, totally throw me, the sing-back one especially. I just can't remember it.

good luck. IMpressive to get to grade 8!

flowery · 29/01/2016 09:32

DH came home with Paganini's 24 Caprices for me to "have a go at" yesterday. Love his (totally misplaced) faith in my skills! There aren't enough hours in the year for me to get that up to anything resembling what it should sound like...

howabout · 29/01/2016 09:38

Just discovered 2nd violin part for Kreutzer studies. Highly recommend if you have a partner in crime.

Original poster
colleysmill · 30/01/2016 07:35

Oh that's interesting about the Kreutzer - I have the first part (two pieces are in the gd 8 syllabus).

I've also unearthed copies of Kayser, Mazas and good old Sevcik studies. Obviously I enjoyed a good violin study book in the past! Ha ha said no one ever.

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LooseAtTheSeams · 30/01/2016 09:07

Crotchet don't stress too much about the aural - in my grade 3 exam I was so frazzled I forgot two of the echoes and made them up. I only lost 2 marks as I was ok on the rest of it, apparently!
Colleys it's great you're going ahead with this, really look forward to hearing more.
Got my new sight reading piano grade 4 book yesterday. The man in the shop said it was free of I bought a piano! 😀

Original poster
colleysmill · 30/01/2016 11:54

Well that's the fiddle in for its mot. Few more tweaks have been recommended and the bow will need rehairing in the next 6 months but he's going to have tweak of that too.

It was really interesting - he could tell me more about it than I had known (wrong country of origin for a start!) And he thinks it would benefit from changing the strings to Pirastro (obligato) strings (currently I use standard dominants) which would never have occurred to me.

In the end I kind of told him to do what he thought it needed - he did give me a valuation for insurance which was more than I had thought - and I can't really justify replacing it (I wouldn't want to really as I'm quite sentimentality attached to it) so hopefully money well spent.

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Original poster
colleysmill · 11/02/2016 20:56

Quick update as promised!

I've chosen my three pieces off the list (much easier than when I last did an exam thanks to the internet! I had a good listen of all of them) and I've started on getting the style right for my list a piece.

I've also started on the scales which I am quite frankly terrible at so they are going to need lots of practice. The old violin is sounding beautiful after the local luthier worked his magic although it wasn't cheap but definitely worth it.

My new teacher thinks I should be ready this year which took my back a bit - I thought I'd need longer but there's no pressure, just a case of finding practice time.

That wasn't very quick at all in the end!

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howabout · 13/02/2016 13:06

How are you getting on with the new strings? DD has standard dominants. I am wondering how you find your new ones as she has a couple of lazy hand positioning habits I think a less flexible string might help.

Original poster
colleysmill · 14/02/2016 08:17

Funnily enough he tried the pirastra evah strings and the violin hated it - apparently the tone and ring went right down. In the end he put a pirastra tonica G string on and left the dominant strings on the others but said we might try changing them all to tonica.

I like the new string although my new teacher didn't think it made as much difference as everything else that was changed (New sound post, new bridge, the work that was done on the nut). It's definitely easier to vary the tone when playing now.

Apparently the"in" strings to have for the conservatoire students are Pirastra ;)

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howabout · 14/02/2016 09:40

Thank you. Might just stick with what she has then and get her to play my electric more. It has helicores which can be a bit unforgiving on the fingertips but definitely won't let her bend the string rather than her wrist.

Original poster
colleysmill · 14/02/2016 10:35

Might be worth casting an eye over the setup - because my nut was too high the strings were higher and to keep it in tune I pulled the strings sideways with my left fingers.

It hasn't taken much adjustment to get used to the changes, if anything playing is easier and less of a strain on my fingers.

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howabout · 14/02/2016 11:57

Great to know she is not the only one and actually looking at her set-up you may be right - thank you. I have a great violin repair man so I may well pay him a visit to see what he thinks. The only problem with going to see him is that he has a shop full of instruments way out of my league and it is always a huge temptation.

Original poster
colleysmill · 16/02/2016 07:10

I know what you mean about the instruments - my chap handed me a violin he'd made that is a copy of Joshua Bell's - beautiful beautiful instrument - and as I was playing it I thought I will never be able to afford this! I enjoyed every minute whilst frantically thinking "don't drop it!"

Saying that though more expensive doesn't always mean better! And I've had my violin set up with the strings too high for years and still managed to get this far Grin

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Icouldbeknitting · 16/02/2016 09:17

DS wanted to learn to play violin so DH recovered his instrument from the bottom of the wardrobe. The evening started with a broken string and ended with a broken bridge and frayed tempers so it went away for professional help. The luthier said that the bridge had always been in the wrong place and he fixed the slipping pegs. The issues that DH had always had with the instrument and just accepted have all gone away now. He would have enjoyed playing it much more when he was 18 if it had been looked at by someone who knew what they were doing.

Original poster
colleysmill · 04/04/2016 07:42

Well although I haven't updated the thread recently I haven't given up yet! List a piece is really coming on now although I can't say the same for the scales unfortunately - I seem to find them harder than anything.

Finding the time to practice (as much as I would like to) is the biggest challenge, balancing that and the kids and work plus all the orchestra commitments is pretty tough. But still making progress which is something!

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Original poster
colleysmill · 15/05/2016 20:23

Not sure if anyone is still interested but I'm still going. Piece A and cadenza sorted and just starting on piece B.

I'm actually loving the challenge now - and I feel like I'm playing better than I did years ago. Also got a new bow on trial with provision to buy which i really like but is not an insignificant amount of money.

Bit addictive really :) but I'm so happy doing it which I guess is what it is all about

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LooseAtTheSeams · 16/05/2016 07:58

So glad to hear you're enjoying it and it sounds like your preparation is going really well! Do keep posting as it's very inspiring.
I am way behind you, doing grade 4 piano! I have two pieces hands together and will learn the third one this term. Scales are going quite well. I am making a start on grade 4 theory as well!
Are you playing in ensembles as well?

IrenetheQuaint · 16/05/2016 08:02

Marking place as I have recently dragged my old violin out of the closet and am trying to resurrect some level of technique!

pitterpatterrain · 16/05/2016 08:11

This is really inspiring! My violin is lurking under the wardrobe and I have a feeling it will be there for a while but I also have plans to get back playing.

Original poster
colleysmill · 16/05/2016 14:22

Well I'd definitely recommend dusting all these violins off and playing again! :)

I started back by joining an orchestra - one that welcomes all abilities and worked my way up. I now moonlight for other local groups if they are short of players although sight reading during a concert is definitely flying by the seat of your pants! If it's challenging stuff then I try to get to atleast one rehearsal but it's nice to play without it being a huge commitment.

Scales are still my down fall I'm terrible at them!!!!

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claraschu · 16/05/2016 14:31

What pieces are you learning? I think it's great that you are getting so much out of coming back to the violin. Do you like going to concerts too?

howabout · 18/05/2016 09:49

You have inspired me and also as I teach DD1 and she is getting to grade 7 I thought I had better put some work in. I have started on the grade 8 pieces. The Hayden A piece is sounding OK but I am finding the Brahms B piece a REAL challenge - it is lovely though. I am not really sold on any of the C pieces but am brushing up on my Kreutzer. What are you playing?

DD1 is struggling with the balance in the double stopped section of one of her pieces so we have moved on to tackling the grade 8 double stop scales to help with this. I never practised my scales when I was learning 30 years ago as I didn't do exams. I have finally had to get my head around them now so I can teach them - it is a struggle.

Original poster
colleysmill · 18/05/2016 22:24

Ooo yes I'm doing the Hayden piece - ive had to spend a lot of time working on keeping it light as I tend to overplay it.

I've chosen the Tchaikovsky Scherzo from list b and then I've gone off book for list c doing the Kodaly Double-dance which is right up my street stylewise!

For a bit of light relief I like to play some Scott Skinner pieces my teacher gave me - totally different and just good fun and some old stuff I used to play, just to play fir myself really. And I do practice my orchestra stuff (mainly sincerely made me leader so I feel obliged to be able to play them perfectly and work out the bowing!)

The scales are interesting! I'm actually better at the double stopped scales than the straight forward ones.

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Original poster
colleysmill · 18/05/2016 22:38

I'm quite taken aback at all the lovely comments since I started this thread - thank you :) I can't believe really I only started playing again 18 months ago but I've come on leaps and bounds in the last 4 months.

But it is such wonderful fun and I'm enjoying myself so much. Dh is slightly bemused by it all (I'm definitely buying this new bow) but very supportive which does help

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